Institute of Medicine

Parts of upstate New York are spending less on Medicare than other regions of the U.S., according to a recent report by the Institute of Medicine.

The study analyzed health care spending, utilization and quality in more than 300 cities nationwide. Three upstate New York cities ranked among the lowest 20 spenders. Syracuse ranked 19th, while Buffalo ranked fourth. Rochester was found to have the lowest Medicare spending in the country. Its costs per beneficiary was $174 a month lower than the study's median.